Stuffing box for rotary driers, kilns, calcining furnaces, retorts, or the like



Patented July 3, 1923.

UNITED RSTATES PATENT ori-uca.-

HB/ALD IELSEN, 0F LONDON, AND BBYAN LAING, OF'HATFIELD, ENGLAND,

sTUFrING Box ron Remax Damas, Krans; cALcINnrG summons, RET-oars, on THE LIKE. l

Application led- December 8, 1922. Serial No. 605,725. y

Toallwkomz't may concern:

Be it known that we, Hamm NmLsEN, a subject of the` King of Denmark, and BRYAN LAING, a subject of the King of a Great Britain residin ,v respectively, at 13 Firs Avenue, Muswell ilk-London, in the county of Middlesex, England, and Abdale House, Hatfield, in the county of Herts, England, have invented certainnew and use- 10 ful Improvements in or Relatinl to'Stuiling Boxes for Rotary Driers, Ki ns, Calcin-l ing Furnaces, Retorts, or the' like, of which the following is a specification. This invention relates to joints for' ro-` tary driers, kilns, calcining furnaces, re-

torts or the like, and more particularly, to rotary retorts for the distillation or heat l treatment of carbonaceous or like materials `of the kind in which the material undergoing treatment is subjected to the influence of heating gases, such ascombustion as, vproducer gas, water gas or the like, which gases are admitted to the interior of the revolving retort through a stationary gas pipe.

5 Asis well'understood itis extremel difiicult in such retorts to secure gas tig tness with stuffing boxes of large diameter as the stutling boxes are subjected to Ahigh temperatures, so that circumferential and longil tudinal ex ansion of the inlet and outlet tubes, as a so ofthe retort through'which the gases are being conducted, as well as eccentric movements due to uneven longitudinal expansion of the retort lengthwise and` crosswise `during working under heat takes place. It is of reat importance that gas tightness should e secured in such cases as,v

if the stuiing box 'permits communication with the atmosphere, the gases passing to 40 or from the retort will be objectionably diluted, or, in other cases may cause an exlosion. "At the same time 1t has not been,

easible tov secure gas-tightness by employ a pliable organic substance or a mineral a ta ance such as asbestos, as, on account. of. the high temperatures prevailing 1n such? retorts, 'charrm of the organic material quickly vtakes p ace `and the stuiling box is vrendered useless. Moreover -1t has been found that with stuing boxes where gas tightness may be obtained when the parte.

-resiliently maintaining one of 'said packing..

Atheir equivalent Vand the packing rings Imay are lcold or the stuffing boxis new, `theA ing box becomes rapidl' ineiicient as the temperature rises or a er it has been in.

use for a short time, and it is the chief object of the prees'nt invention to provide a construction of stuliin box in which gas tightness is assured un er all conditions and in which ther prevailing high temperatures will not influence its flexibility.

According to the present invention the stuiiing box comprises a multiplicity ofL metal packing rings or the' vlike dispr's'ed. around the inlet` or outlet" end of the sta-1 tionar gas pipe or the like (hereinafter terme the gas pipe) through which the heating gases enter the revolvlng retort, together with flexible means, suchas compres-4 sible springvbui'ers or theirleq'uivalent, for

rings in contact with the-endlof the retort or with a flanged member attached in a gas tight manner to the retort,/in such manner that said packing rings are capable of rotary movement as well as -a limited amount of slidin movement relative to the gas pipe. The anged member may project from the end of the retort and be rovided witha short cylindrical `partwiiich surrounds'the extreme end of the gas pipe,y and, located between said, cylindrical mem'- ber andthe spring buffers orl their equivalent on the gas pipe, are the vmetal packing rings which lit closely y' and Ain Va as tight manner around the gas p`ipe, sai Vvpacking rings' being as aforesaid capableoffrotary movement and alsov ofawlimited amount of sliding movement relatiwlyfto the-gas pipe, which movement is permitted and controlledA by` the aforesaid compress'iblespring buf- 'fers which holdv saidyringsfiirmly but resliently in positionlagainstf'the cylindrical member. v.Instead of mounted directly upon the gas pipe,'. the spring buiers or be located upon' a hollowfsleeve which sur'- rounds and 1s attachedtothe' gas pipe-and between which and the* vasrpi k-*afspacefis left for the circulation o a coo g` y y 7 such as gascr air. -The ackingdrin 1H bears against the flange cylinrica mem-,jj

ber may be of more massive construction than the other packing rings and may be of larger diameter than the gas pipe and said massive packing ring may be provided with an annular groove on one of its faces within'which the end of the flanged cylindricalv member projects, the said groove and the end of the flanged member being bevelled, rounded or otherwise shaped to vallow -of relative rotary movement between the said parts, while at the same time maintaining a gastight joint. The other packing rings, which are of slightly resilient character, are preferably mounted on a machined part of the gas pipe or of the aforesaid hollow sleeve which surrounds it, while the resilient buffers may be composed of a number of adjustable spring controlled yoke pieces or bifurcated members located around the gas pipe and carrying one or more rollers which bear against the packing rings, each yoke piece being preferably adapted to slide in a dovetailed or undercut groove provided in a boss on the gas pipe.

In order that the said invention may be clearly understood and readily carried into effect the-'samefwill now be described more fully with reference to the accompanying drawings, which show by wayof example two constructional forms of the said invention and in which Figure, lis a longitudinal section of part of a revolving retort fitted with one form of flexible stuiing box constructed according to the present invention.

Figure 2 is a section on .the line 2 2 of Fi re 1. l igure 3 isa planview of one ofthe spring controlled yokes shown in Figure 1.

Figures 4 and 5 are a part sectional elevation and an end view respectively of a modified forni' of Aflexible stuffing box, Figure' 4 being a part section on the line 4-4 of Figure 5'and the upper half of Figure 5 being a partsection on the'line 5 5 of Figure 4 andthjelower half of Figure 5' being art s ecti'ofo'ii the line 5-5 of Figure 4. iglgulel -6 is af fragmentary detail view showing thefparts kofa packing ring resiliently connected'. j

I a' is the Iend eof a. rotary retort, which 1n F1gure isis applied to an unlined retort-'and i'nf l F1 gures"4 and 5 to a retort boltsjy the'i'eiidf-plate vi is the flanged cylindric'a member 7) V'sojtl'iat the' end plate reyolves .with theY're'tortand a. gas tightjoint isobtained "between the member b and the i` eind plater a. f is 'the stationary gas pipe whichisunlined infFigure 1- and has a firefthe atively to the part, the spring m. i igure-1) is a packing weones with a groove within which ts and works the bevelled and rounded extremity c of the cylindrical member b. The gas pipe f at a short distance from the end thereof is formed wth bosses o which accommodate the stems n of a number of bifurcated members oryoke pieces la which form partfof the resilient means for maintaining the massive packingring e, and also the smaller packing rings h1, h2 pressed toward the flanged member b on the end plate a. Within each of the bosses o the .shaft n of the yoke piece lc is adapted t0 work and between each boss o and a pair of adjusting nuts p1, p2, and also a washer g mounted on a screw threaded portion nl of the stem n', a hehcal sprmg `'m is located. Each yoke piece c, which is formed with bevelled edges k1 as shown in Figures 2 and 5, carries a roller j which bears against the packing ring h2, igure l) and the yoke piece lc is adapted to slide longitudinally within an undercut or dovetailed groove Z1 in a boss Z on the exterior of the gaspipe f. The gas pipe f is provided with a raised machined portion g on which thel bolt y which extends through openings in the lugs e of the rings and has mounted between its end and the opposed faces of the lugs e a tensional spring as shown 1n Figure 6, the arrangement, however, being such that in any case they it closely but the as pipe whilst at the same time bein capa le of slight .longitudinal movement re underf the control of ring composed of slightly?" elastic material disposed between and kept in position by the packing rings h1, 712;; In the slightly modified arrangement lshown at Figures 4 land 5 the packing rin is dispensed with and an additional pacing ring ha is provided which is attached at la* to the massive ring c. The massive-ring e has also a portion c1 which surrounds the gas pipe f beyond 'the machined portion g thereof, and between the packing ring h2 and the roller. 7' is anfannulus'lz,5 substantially L-shaped in cross section. 'In this embodiment of the invention the` parts of the stuliing box, instead of being mounted directly upon the gas pipe fare mounted upon af'hollow sleeve f1 engaging at'filaang'ed art of the gaspipe and provision'is madel (las shown) for circuiii-5 lating a cooling mediumin any conventional manner, suchl as gasj'fthifough the said hol`V "130 low sleeve.

yieldably around the machined portion g of ln'r?.

Any desired number of spring controlled p yokes may be provided and disposed around thegas pipe. Y

Ovvn to the aforesaid arrangement, any longltu inal movement of the revolving end a of the retort will be communicated through the packing rings e, h1 and il* (Figure 1) or e, h1, h2, ha, and It (Fi res 4 and 5) to the resilient] mounted ro ler y', the spring controlled yo es k of which allow the packmg rings to move.,longitudinallywithout interfermg with the as-ti htnes's of the joint. Should the and a, o the retort be moved relative to pipe f, the massive rin e will slide transversely relative to the ot er packing-rings without, however, interfering `with. the gas tightness of the joint. Fur.-4 thermore-any wobbling movement of theend a of the retort relatively to the gas pipe f will also be taken uplyvithout the gas tightness of the packing h,'h or h' being .interfered with. Consequently, gas ti htness is assured-under all conditionsan as the component arts of the stiiing box 'are made of a suita le heat resistin metal the prevailing high tem erature wf notintlu- 'gree of tightnes'sof the yparts,.t

ence the flexibilityifior the stuiiing box orim. pair its gas tightness. Accordingl to the dee packing rmgs e, h1, k2 and 7L ,will either. rotate together with the revolvin retort and the tubular member b, relative y to the resiliently mounted rollers or else they will remain stationary and t e tubular member b will revolvefin the oove d provided in the massive packin ring e, the relative movement f of the parts by the` degree in the retort.

It will be understood tha.'l the formof the invention'herein set forth is merely il' ing to some extent determined of lexpansion of the gas pipe f vlust'rative and inno sense restrictive,` andv f'i such'mechanical changes and-modificatively moving parts in such manner that sai -paratus comprising a .anged cylin tions as'` fall within the purview of a 'mechanic may .be made'v to vthe invention w1thoutdepartm vfrom thes irit thereof or the scope of t e appended c aims.

-f Wlxat we Yclaim and desire to secure by ZAlimitera.Patent of the United States' is Y trolled members resilien said rings in contact with said retort, said' member connected to one of said relatively moving (parts, resilient metal packing rin surroun ing the other relatively movab e part land spring controlled members resiliently. maintaining one of said resilient metalpacking rings in contact with saidrflanged cylindrical member in such manner that the resilient metal packing rings are capable of rotary movement as well as a limited amount of lon 'tudinal slidin movement relatively to sai, anged cylin 'rical member.

' 3. A rotary heating apparatus ohaving in combination, a lstationary pipe, a sleeve surrounding said pipev and spaced radially therefrom, a series of rings on said sleeve, a

lrotary retort, resilient means o n said pipe and contacting. with the outer ,of said rings for maintaining the'inner of said rings 1n contact with sald retort.

4. Ajrotary heating apparatus having in combination, a stationary pipe, a sleeve surroundin said pipe, aA spaced compartment formed tween said vpipe and sleeve, resilient vrings encirclin said sleeve, a rotary retort associated wit Asaid ipe, spring contIly maintaining rings being` adai ted to be moved rotatably and longitudine ly relative to said pipe. 5. A rotary heating apparatus having in combination, a fixed plpe, a sleeve surrounding said pipe and spaced radially therefrom,

.a series of rings'encircling said sleeve, a ro'- ta retort, a plurality of longitudinally .sli able members having recesses therein,

rollers j'ournalled in said recesses and engaging oneof said rings, a stem securedl at one,` lend to each of said members and its opposite end journalled in a boss on said pi e, a compression spring surrounding eac of said stems, and means on the ring adjacentsaid retort for locking the parts together.

6. A stuiling box for arotary heating apiratus comprising, in combination with a ed gas pipe, a flanged cylindrical member connected to said rotary heating apparatus, said flanged cylindrical member being of larger diameter than said gas pipe and sur# rounding one end of the same, a spaced compartmen't' formed between said cylinder and said pipe, 'an annular member which bears against said ianged cylindrical member and which is of larger diameter than and surrounds the end of the gas pipe, fiexible means for maintaining sai annular member in contact with said flanged cylindrical member and other annular members acting as packing rings located between said annular member and said lflexible means,'said l' annular members fitting closely and in a gas ti ht manner around said gas pipe'.

A gas tight stuiiing box for the relatively moving parts of airotary heating apparatus comprising a multi liciy lof packing rings surrounding one o sai relatively moving parts, a flanged cylindrical member connected to one of said relatively moving parts, said anged cylindrical member'surrounding and being of larger diameter than v the other ofvsaid relatively movingparts, and a ring member which bearsagainst said flanged cylindrical mex'nber and which is 1ocated between said'ilanged cylindrical memifiaoneeX ber and said packing rings, said ring member being provided with an annular groove l0 on one of its faces Within which the end' of the fianged cylindrical member projects for the purpose specified.

HARALD N IELSEN. BRYAN LA1NG- 

